Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-29
Indinn mor.emnn.hin.

When we last parted company with the
readers of the Republican we were in the
Indian camp Of the Arapahoe Chief Friday.
Here we saw many curious scenes and
learned much of Indian life. One day Fri
day said to me he would like TO show off
his young men and let me see how well
they could ride. At first l expected some
treachery, as the whole herd Of ponies were
still in the hands of the troops. The old
chief, however, was so earnest and appar-
emily honest about il that told the captain,
who had the herd in charge, he might let
Friday have 30 ponies for his young men.
In about an hour they drew up before
the tents in war paint and feathers, and
were as fine a looking set Of young fellows
as / had ever seen. Hardly one but was
six feet in height and beautifully proper
toned. They sat their horses like centaurs
and were ease and grace itself in the sad
die. At a signal from the chief they begai,
their movements with a yell that sent the
blood curdling in the heart, and was
enough, if heard unawares, or III the night
time, to make ones hair stand on end. In
a moment they had disappeared over a
n,ighboring hill to the right, and thought
they had gone, but, hearing a mighty
trampling of horses, looked to the left
and there they came. l can compare it to
nothing but the wind, and they swept by
so swift and compact that they looked like
a ball of horses and men. Splitting in two,
one body swept to the right and another TO
the left and again disappeared. In about
| two minutes the two bodies charged each
other in solid lines, and | waited almost
breathless for the shock, but as the horses
heads almost touched each other the files
! skilfully opened to the right and left, and
the lines passed through the intervals with
out touching. Wheeling to the right about,
| they passed back in an instant and again
disappeared over the hills. 1t was about
| 10 minutes before they came in sight, and
! Friday informed me they were blowing
their horses. Presently on they came and
wheeled by fours, formed columns, broke
by fours and finally deployed as skirmish-
ers.
1t was now we saw the finest individual
! horsemanshp Some would approach "
ing 50 close to the pony's back nothing but
| the horses could be seen. Others stood up
and rode as circus men do. Some would
| hang with one foot and one hand on the
horses and sweep by, their bodies complete
| ly protected by the bodies Of the animals
| Some leaped upon the ground holding to
the name Of the horse, and after running a
step or two would swing themselves up on
/ lllt bhthH VI lllt l'l 0tS dEhlll IL easily "a
| circus men could do it.
The positions they assumed and the feats
Of horsemanship they performed were in
credible, and doubt if anything outside of
a circus ring ever equalled it. They would
throw objects ON the ground and pick them
up again while passing at full speed, the
warriors hanging to the sides of the horses
with one foot and one hand. They drew
bows and shot arrows from underneath the
necks and even bellies of their horses while
riding at fast gallop.
Our cavalry could not learn to ride as
well as these indians did if each man was
trained for 20 years. They exchanged
horses while riding and got behind each
other One man would fall off his horse as
if wounded, and two others would ride up
beside him, and taking him by an arm and
leg swing him between their horses and
carry him off The exhibition, or drill, as
Friday called it, lasted nearly two hours,
and the men and horses were completely
exhausted j. S. BrisJia in Omaha
Republican.